Center for Puppetry Arts
on display.]] Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest nonprofit dedicated to the art of puppetry in the world. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the Center is both a puppet theater and museum which features traveling and permanent exhibits of puppets, and has two theaters which continually perform puppet shows for children, families, and adults. The Center's Artistic Director is Jon Ludwig (shadow puppeteer for Bear in the Big Blue House). It also holds puppet-making workshops for schoolchildren, and houses an extensive research library of 1,500 books on puppetry and 1,000 videos of local and international performances: The theater opened on September 23, 1978, as Jim Henson and Kermit cut the ribbon. Image:Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Opening_1978_-_Jim_Henson_&_Kermit.jpg|Kermit, Jim & Jane Henson at the Center for Puppetry Arts' opening on September 23, 1978 Image:Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Opening_1978_-_Kermit,_Jim_&_Heather_Henson.jpg|Kermit, Jim & Heather Henson at the opening Image:Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Opening_1978_-_Jim,_Heather_&_Jane_Henson.jpg|Jim, Heather & Jane Henson at the opening The museum hosted The Art of the Muppets during 1981, and 50,000 visitors saw the exhibit and the related video presentation in the main theater. In 1988, Henson and the Muppets performed live twice to celebrate the Center's 10th anniversary. In 1994, Jane Henson hosted a screening of The Muppet Christmas Carol. During 1996 and 1997, the museum hosted The Vision of Jim Henson. Elmo (and presumably Kevin Clash) were the headline guests at their 1997 puppetry festival.Phil Kloer, “News for Kids”, The Atlanta Constitution, 13 October 1997, C03. In 1998, the Center hosted a four-day puppetry festival, with a special appearance by Steve Whitmire and Kermit. Also in 1998, to celebrate the Center's 20th anniversary, Cheryl Henson appeared, as did Bear and Tutter. In October 1999, Bear and Ojo appeared. In 2003, Kermit appeared again. In 2005, The Jim Henson Foundation provided a grant to help fund Anne Frank: Within and Without. In January of 2010 the museum presented Steve Whitmire: Perspectives "The Sentient Puppet", a four day class and lecture. Before the a major expansion and full display of the collection in 2015, the museum's permanent exhibit included original puppets of Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julius Strangepork in their Pigs in Space costumes, a Goblin from Labyrinth, and the original puppet of SkekUng from The Dark Crystal. In July of 2007, The Jim Henson Foundation announced their intention to donate 500 to 700 original puppets, plus props and designs spanning the entire career of Henson and the Muppets, to the museum, which became the two exhibits Jim Henson: Puppeteer and Jim Henson: Wonders from His Workshop. Work on the expansion of the museum intended to house the full donated collection, which was finally announced on January 14th, 2014. The permanent exhibition's grand opening took place on November 14, 2015. In attendance were Brian, Cheryl, and Heather Henson with their spouses and children, Steve Whitmire with Kermit the Frog, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph with Abby Cadabby, Fran Brill (with Prairie Dawn, performed for members only), Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Ryan Dillon, Bonnie Erickson, Rollie Krewson, Karen Falk, Pam Arciero and Craig Shemin. Exhibits * The Art of the Muppets – 1981 * The Vision of Jim Henson – 1996-1997 * Jim Henson: A Man and His Frog – July 25, 2007 (on long-term display) * Jim Henson: Puppeteer – September 25, 2007 (on long-term display) * Jim Henson: Wonders from His Workshop – September 16, 2008 (on long-term display) * Worlds of Puppetry – November 14, 2015 (permanent exhibition) * Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Journey to Goblin City - Sept 2, 2016 to Sept 3, 2017 Worlds of Puppetry The Center for Puppetry Arts opened the permanent Worlds of Puppetry exhibit in November 2015. The exhibit is split into two sections: The Global Collection and The Jim Henson Collection. The Henson family donated between 500 and 700 pieces to the center,"Kermit and friends get new Atlanta home" by Associated Press, July 25, 2007 a portion of which will be on display, then rotated out every six months. File:Henson Conservation at Dragon Con 2015|The Center for Puppetry Arts' Muppet conservation presentation video from Dragon Con 2015 File:Jim Henson's classic puppets get new life|CNN's Nick Valencia reports on Worlds of Puppetry (with Cheryl Henson and Bonnie Erickson) Entrance CPAMuseum-concept1.jpg|concept art CPAMuseum-concept2.jpg|concept art CPAMuseum-concept3.jpg|concept art Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Worlds_of_Puppetry.png|Worlds of Puppetry entrance Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Entrance.jpg|Entrance into the Jim Henson wing Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Jim_Henson_Office_01.jpg|Jim Henson's office Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Jim_Henson_Office_02.jpg|Jim Henson's office Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Henson_the_Artist_01.jpg|Info board Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_LaChoy_Dragon.jpg|Info board Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Ernie_&_Bert_Window.jpg|Ernie and Bert stained glass window (reproduction) Early puppets Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sam_&_Friends.jpg|Omar Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Taminella.png|Taminella Grinderfall Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Original_Rowlf.jpg|Rowlf the Dog center for puppetry arts rowlf.jpg Sesame Street Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sesame_Street_1969.jpg|Elmo, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Sherlock Hemlock and Roosevelt Franklin Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sesame_Street1969_Close-Up.png|Elmo, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Sherlock Hemlock and Roosevelt Franklin Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sesame_Street_-_Oscar.jpg|Oscar the Grouch Center_for_puppetry_arts_roosevelt_franklin.jpg|Roosevelt Franklin center for puppetry arts elmo.jpg|Elmo center for puppetry arts grover.jpg|Grover center for puppetry arts cookie monster.jpg|Cookie Monster center for puppetry arts cookie 2.jpg|Cookie Monster center for puppetry arts hoots.jpg|Hoots the Owl Center_for_puppetry_arts_big_bird_2.jpg|Big Bird and Little Bird Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sesame_Street_-_Big_Bird.jpg|Big Bird Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Little_Bird.png|Little Bird Center_for_puppetry_arts_bert_ernie.jpg|Bert and Ernie Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sesame_Street_-_Bert,_Ernie,_Fred_&_Clementine.png|Bert, Ernie, Fred the Wonder Horse and Clementine 1970s specials 11232896 1043690488997139 6417861557936737551 n.jpg|Rover Joe and T.R. Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sex_&_Violence_-_Sins_02.jpg|Gluttony and Envy Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sex_&_Violence_-_Sins_01.jpg|Avarice and Anger Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sex_&_Violence_Card.jpg|''The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence'' info card center for puppetry arts otters.jpg|Ma Otter and Emmet Otter center for puppetry arts emmet otter.jpg Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Harvey_Beaver_02.jpg|Harvey Beaver Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Harvey_Beaver_01.jpg|Harvey Beaver The Muppet Show Muppet-on-Spring_095.jpg|Kermit the Frog Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Kermit.jpg|Kermit the Frog puppetry arts kermit.jpg|Kermit the Frog Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Camilla,_Dr._Teeth,_Fozzie_Bear.jpg|Camilla, Dr. Teeth, Fozzie Bear center for puppetry arts camilla.jpg|Camilla center for puppetry arts doctor teeth.jpg|Dr. Teeth puppetry arts fozzie museum.jpg|Fozzie Bear center for puppetry arts fozzie 2.jpg|Fozzie Bear Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Scooter,_Robin,_Marvin_Suggs,_Muppahone.jpg|Scooter, Robin, Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphone center for puppetry arts scooter.jpg|Scooter center for puppetry arts robin.jpg|Robin the Frog center for puppetry arts marvin suggs.jpg|Marvin Suggs center for puppetry arts muppaphones.jpg|The Muppaphone Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Sopwith.png|Sopwith the Camel Muppet-on-Spring_098.jpg|Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julius Strangepork Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Treasure_Island_Piggy_&_Mad_Monty.jpg|Miss Piggy as Benjamina Gunn, Mad Monty File:Miss_piggy_atlanta.jpg|Miss Piggy puppetry arts piggy.jpg|Miss Piggy Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Clueless_Morgan.png|Hispaniola model and Clueless Morgan Fraggle Rock Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Fraggle_Rock_Characters.jpg|Fraggles and Doozers Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Fraggle_Rock_-_Mokey,_Red_&_Boober.jpg|Mokey, Red and Boober Fraggle Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Fraggle_Rock_-_Mokey_&_Red.jpg|Mokey and Red Fraggle Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Fraggle_Rock_-_Matt_&_Wembley.jpg|Uncle Traveling Matt and Wembley Fraggle Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Fraggle_Rock_-_Gobo_&_Flower.jpg|Gobo Fraggle and a flower puppet Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Fraggle_Rock_-_Sprocket.jpg|Sprocket 1980s & 1990s Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Dog_City_Characters.jpg|Ronald, Bugsy Them, Scruffy and Vinnie Molar Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_The_Storyteller_-_Dog.jpg|Dog and King Goshposh 12196168 1043690772330444 2840548855764254785 n.jpg|The Dragonbunny, Bean Bunny, an altered Steiff puppet in a cake, a large pink and orange frog puppet, Mew, Humble Gary, Ditz and Dinkybeard The Dark Crystal Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Dark_Crystal_Characters.jpg|Jen Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Aughra.png|Aughra Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Dark_Crystal_-_Garthim.jpg|Garthim Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Dark_Crystal_-_Crystal_Chamber.jpg|The Crystal Chamber model Labyrinth Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Labyrinth_Characters.jpg|The Four Guards and Left Door Knocker Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Labyrinth_Guard.jpg|Two of the Four Guards 12193351 1043690762330445 1889429897527514481 n.jpg|Sir Didymus and the cannon-ball goblin Exit Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Try-Out_Area_&_Bremen_Characters.jpg|Try-out area Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Kermit_Window.jpg|Kermit the Frog stained glass window Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Henson_Quote.jpg|Henson quote Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Gift_Shop.jpg|Gift shop Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Grand_Opening_-_Abby_Cadabby_01.jpg|Abby Cadabby at the opening Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_Grand_Opening_-_Abby_Cadabby_02.jpg|Abby Cadabby at the opening Center_for_Puppetry_Arts_-_New_Building.jpg|Outside the new wing External links * Center for Puppetry Arts website * The Muppets Take Atlanta, Atlanta Magazine * NBC 11Alive Atlanta - "Behind the curtain: Learn more about the largest Jim Henson collection - anywhere" video report ahead of the permanent collection exhibition's grand opening (2015-11-13) * NBC 11Alive Atlanta - "The Case of the Missing Muppet" video report on why the Hoggle puppet is not part of the collection on display (2015-11-13) * The Atlanta Journal Constitution - Behind the scenes | Jim Henson at the Center for Puppetry Arts behind-the-scenes video (2015-05-14) * The Worlds of Puppetry: A Review of a Preview (2015-11-10) Sources __NOWYSIWYG__ Category:Exhibits Category:Puppetry Category:Museum